Living on the Edge: Exploring Economic Reality in Cook County

One way communities often try and grow their local economy is through business development. It was in this spirit that the county and city first started talking about developing a business park. The hope was to create a place for growing business to expand and also a place that would potentially attract new businesses to the area. There was even hope that the developed area would increase the number of non-tourist based jobs. But, what if you built a park and nobody came? That’s part of what’s happened at the Cedar Grove Business Park in Grand Marais. WTIP’s Carah Thomas has this report in our ongoing series “Living on the Edge: Exploring Economic Reality in Cook County.”

The landscape of healthcare has certainly changed in the last ten years. Across the country, people and businesses have sustained dramatic increases in costs. This trend holds true in Cook County, where rising prices have made it difficult for people to cope.

There’s no question that the recession has had an impact locally. The use of social services are up, unemployment is high, and many local business with deep roots in the community are feeling the pinch.

Demand for food assistance has surged in Cook County in the last year. Thirty-three percent of the county’s school aged children are on the free and reduced price lunch program. With local unemployment at an 18 year high, organizations that offer assistance with food are increasingly busy.

Affordable housing has been an issue in Cook County for years whether it’s finding a secure rental or buying a home. There’s a discrepancy between incomes and what the average home price is in Cook County. The average wage falls behind both Lake and St. Louis County at just $23,000 a year. Compare that to the average home price at $281,000 and you can start to see how hard it is for folks working in the community to afford a place of their own.

Wages in Cook County fall behind both Lake and St. Louis County. The average yearly wage here is about $23,000. Contrast that with Lake County at $29,000 and St. Louis County at $31,000 a year and the difference is notable. Many county residents maintain more than one job, switch employers with the season, and use a variety of creative strategies just to stay afloat.

It is no secret. Cook County is a beautiful place. With the boundary waters and Lake Superior, the environment is spectacular. But there is another side to this place, beyond all the natural beauty. One where families struggle to get by—a side where people choose between paying for healthcare and putting food on the table.